Antec Phantom 500W Power Supply

Power supplies are an important part of our PC and should never be overlooked. Antec is one of the top makers in the market, due to their stability and build quality. We are taking a look at their 500W Phantom and see how it stands up to a Dual Core system.

Page 2 – Specifications

For those of you who thrive on specifics, here is info you will find useful:

ATX12V version 2.01 compliant with 24-and-20-pin adapter connector with detachable 4-pin section for 20-pin for backward compatibility with older motherboards

Dual +12V outputs, with dedicated circuits to isolate the CPU power line from peripherals.

ATX12V v2.0 compliance and ultra-high-efficiency design (up to 85%) allows Phantom to generate up to 70% less heat and consume 25% less power than standard PSU’s saving you money on your electric bill

Power Factor value greater than 90% (EU only)

Gold plated connector for superior conductivity

Output: 500 Watts total

+5V

+12V1

+12V2

+3.3V

-12V

+5Vsb

Max. Load

30A

17A

18A

30A

0.5A

2.0A

Min. Load

0.3A

0.3A

0.3A

0.3A

0A

0A

Load Reg.

±5%

±5%

±5%

±5%

±5%

±5%

Rippe V(p-p)

50

120

120

50

120

50

Overall, these specs represent kick ass and it’s a pleasure to have such quality in my system. When I had first powered up the PSU without a PC, it was as I had expected.. dead quiet. Since I threw this in my Intel machine, the low noise won’t help me as much due to the Stock Intel cooler being so dang loud, but it’s certainly nice to have the PSU not add to the fact. During my stress tests with the Phantom, I regularly checked to see if the back fan was running. Not once did I catch it running, which goes to show that the heatsink design does a great job of dissipating the heat before it get’s to that point. It could have been running at certain points without my knowledge, but it’s hard to tell even with your hand in front of it whether it’s actually on or not.

Another thing to mention is that this PSU is very heavy, but as many know, the heavier the PSU is the more likely it is to be better. Heavy duty components will definitely aide in the life and stability of the product. Though I did not weigh it, I would recommend you have a friend help you install it. Not because it’s too heavy, but because it’s heavy enough that when you are ‘screwing’ around trying to get it installed, it is somewhat of an annoyance.

Now that we have all of that out of the way, let’s jump straight into the stress testing.

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Rob founded Techgage in 2005 to be an 'Advocate of the consumer', focusing on fair reviews and keeping people apprised of news in the tech world. Catering to both enthusiasts and businesses alike; from desktop gaming to professional workstations, and all the supporting software.